County school board vows not to raise taxes for repairs

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
June 4, 2004
The Lauderdale County School Board decided not to increase its operations budget next year to pay for roof repairs at Clarkdale Attendance Center for fear of a possible tax increase.
School Superintendent David Little told school board members on Thursday that a 4 percent increase in the district's operations budget would generate more than $300,000 to pay for the repairs. But the budget increase would also cause county property taxes to increase something some school board members said they would not do.
The county school board met Thursday to discuss how the district's money should be spent for the next school year. No action was taken during the work session.
This year, the school district had an operations budget of about $50 million. The school board will officially address next year's budget at its regular meeting on June 17.
School Board President Robbie Hales said she would like to know for certain how much the roof repairs would cost, but she said she is "adamant about not raising taxes."
Little said it will cost more than $500,000 to make the repairs; he said after the meeting that the district will have to find other means to pay for the repairs or postpone them until they can find the money.
Charlotte Parker, chief financial officer for district, also presented each board member with a wish list submitted by each principal in the district.
Some of the items the board considered purchasing for the next school year were new computers, digital cameras for school buses and new air conditioners at many of the district's campuses.
Little said more than $280,000 has been figured into next year's budget in order to give 8 percent raises to all school district employees. Teachers and teacher's assistants will receive a state-mandated 8 percent raise.
But Little said he wants to reward other district employees for their hard work.